Stratics VeteranAlumni

The moderators check this forum daily and if you violate the rules you will be PM'd. If you have any questions about the rules or allowed items, please PM one of the moderators and ask.

The moderators for this forum are:
n/a

Trade Forum Descriptions

UO Trader's Hall - A place to Trade Cross-Shard, get Price Checks, and Discuss Trade. If your trade consists of Multiple Shards, please use this forum instead of the other forums. Subject Prefixes are Mandatory here.

UO Rares Collector - Where chairs are considered better when broken and bandages better when bloodied. This forum is for all things Rare and those who Collect them. Subject Prefixes are Mandatory here.

UO Holiday Trading - The place to trade special holiday goods. This forum is mainly used in the years long tradition of Cross-Shard Trading Holiday, Seasonal, and other Gift Items. Subject Prefixes are Disabled here.

Our intentions with the rules about bumping is to keep the forum clear of spam and to give everyone an equal chance to have their post seen and read. We ask that you please follow the rules and don't be offended if we find it necessary to step in and ask you to stop bumping, etc.

Please note 'bumping' of posts is allowed, but in very limited amounts. If you bump excessively, your post may be locked or removed. For the purposes of this forum 'bumping' is replying to your thread with the sole purpose of making your post stay visible. An acceptable time to bump a post would be when you have edited your post and it is no longer on the first page.

If you have a question for a poster regarding an item they are advertising on the forum, please contact them via the contact method they have provided or via PM.

If they are selling something that costs too much, replying with something like, "LolZ N3wB, Dat Costz 2Much!!11" doesn't accomplish anything. Chances are if their price is too high, than it won't sell. If you are interested in the item, contact them privately and see if they are flexible on their price and willing to negotiate.

If someone is selling an illegal/unallowed item or an item you feel is being misrepresented as a rare, please use the notify moderator feature. You can find the icon at the bottom of every post.
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B. Updating Your Post

If you need to update your post please use the edit feature. The edit button appears when you view your own post, next to the "Reply" button. Also, note that editing your post will not bump it, so feel free to edit as often as you need. Some of the reasons could be having sold one of the items, bought one of the items you needed or wanting to update current bids on auction items. If too much time has passed and you are no longer able to update your post, you may repost an updated version if needed.
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C. Scammer Accusations

When you get scammed, often your first reaction is to warn others so that it doesn't happen to them too. Although you have good intentions, we ask that you do not post anything about who scammed you as these accusations are really just one posters word against another. UO allows for many chars on the same shard to have the same name, so you could inadvertently spoil an honest persons reputation. Or someone could post that someone they disliked was a scammer and ruin their reputation when it is not true.
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If you have any questions regarding the legality of an item or whether it is accepted on our forums, please inquire on the UO Trader's Hall forum.
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E. Linking to Other Trade Forums

Please do not create posts strictly for the purpose of linking or advertising any other trading websites or forums. The exception to this is auction themed websites such as ebay, uo-auction, etc.
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F. Cross-Shard Posting

When applicable, please post your cross shard items on either the UO Trader's Hall or UO Holiday Trading forums. However, if you are asking your buyer to x-shard it themselves, please only post the item on the shard it is physically on.
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G. Information on Bugs/Exploiting

Please do not post and describe, hint, give clues, suggest or in any way aid in information on creating items from bugs, exploits or other illegal methods. If you are concerned about a current exploit, please email to EA at [email protected]
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Please include the following details in your email:

Server Name

Detailed Bug Description (step-by-step, tell us what you did and what happened)

Date/Time of Occurrence

Location (Sextant coordinates, facet, and city location

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If someone is selling an illegal/disallowed item or an item you feel is being misrepresented as a rare, please use the notify moderator feature. You can find the icon at the bottom of every post.

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If you have any questions regarding the legality of an item or whether it is accepted on our forums, please inquire on the UO Trader's Hall forum.
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H. Advertising Malls, In-Game Auctions or Merchant Events

Events hosted by a mall, auction or that are crafter-related may be posted on the trade forums. All other events should be posted on the respective shard forums. I encourage all event coordinators to contact the associated shard news reporters to have their events posted publicly as well as the shard calendar. Advertising Malls, In-Game Auctions or Merchant Events may also be posted on the Shard Forums however, please do not cross-post them. Instead, contact a News Reporter to get it in the Event News.​

I. Price Checks and Discussion Posts

Please post these on the UO Trader's Hall, or your home shard's trade board. Price Checks on the Shard Forums will be allowed at the sole discretion of the Moderators assigned to those Shard Forum(s).

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J.Real Life Monetary Trading

Please adhere to the main Rule especially in regards to:

P. Player to player transactions selling in game virtual items for real life currency are prohibited from being promoted or advertised on our network.

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K. Bumping Threads

Please allow 24 hours before beginning to Bump your trade thread. Then further allow 24 hours in between bumps.
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Tips to help your sell/trade your item​

Make sure you include valid contact information such as ICQ, MSN, Etc so that other users may contact you in regards to your post.

Don't forget to include images! If the item is one that is prized for its unique appearance or is not well known, including an image can increase its chance of selling dramatically. If you are selling a home or advertising a mall, auction house, etc make sure to include a map that has at least one well known landmark such as a city, moongate, dungeon, etc to help players in finding the location. Some free websites for hosting these pictures include:

Make sure to double check your spelling, especially on artifacts and items. Many users will use the search feature to scan the entire shard trade forum and having proper spelling on your post will give your post the best chance at being seen by as many searching users as possible.

Make sure you include all attributes of a weapon or piece of armor. Although an attribute might not be worth a lot to you, to the right player it could mean the difference in buying and selling.

Share the forum with friends and guild mates. The more people checking and using the trade forums, the more chance you have to sell your item or find what you are looking for.

Commonly Asked Questions about Trading​

Q: What is an exploit?

A: An exploit is any item obtained in a method not intended through normal game mechanics.
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It is hard to describe every incident which might be considered an exploit. Because the game changes, and systems change, new exploits appear as old ones go away. Basically, an exploit is the ability to do anything in the game which you should not normally be able to do. For instance, if you aren't able to walk into a house with your character, but you discover a way for an animal to break in for you, you are obviously taking advantage of an exploit. It is obvious that thieving animals are not part of the game. It is obvious you should not be able to get into houses which have the door locked. If you find a loop hole which allows you to duplicate items or create more gold, this is also considered an exploit. Are you able to kill someone in a town who is not in a warring guild? This is an exploit as well. In each instance, the rules have obviously been broken and unusual gains have been made. Knowing what is an exploit is really a matter of knowing how the game works. Ignorance that you were using an exploit will not prevent removal from the game for committing such an exploit.

In the long history of Ultima Online, there have been certain items that have entered the game due to bugs or exploits. We have been hesitant to post a list of such items, for some unscrupulous players might see such a list and attempt to recreate such illegal items. However, to help players discern the differences between these illegal exploit/bug items and legal rare items, we now feel that there are certain exploit-based items that can be listed publicly.

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The illegal items listed below were created or obtained through the use of an exploit or bug, and are not able to be obtained or acquired through any legitimate means. Players who are found to have, use, trade, or sell them may have action taken against their account.

These listed items continue to exist in the world even though they are not re-creatable, but please do not consider them the only items that are unacceptable within UO. Just because an item may not be on this list does not necessarily mean it is legal. We reserve the right to change & update this list at any time.

Portable forges

Belt pouches

Metal ranger armor (ranger armor should be leather-based, not metal)

Water tiles

Silver steeds (except for Siege Perilous, Mugen, and Baekdu)

Tame ancient wyrms

It is critical for all players to understand the following information about this list of exploit-created items:

There may be exploit-created items within the world that are not on this list-but just because items are not on this list, does not necessarily mean they are legal.
We reserve the right to change this list at any time.

This list will only note items that were created with bugs or exploit that can no longer be created.

Please also note that we continue to look extremely unfavorably against any player who attempts to use a bug or exploit in order to create an item that should not normally exist within the game, and players who violate the rules of UO at any time may have action taken against their UO game accounts.

If someone tries to pressure you to buying without some information, than it could be a scam.

Glossary of Trade Terminology

General​

Aof - an abbreviation for the Armor of Fortune artifact
Arties or Artys - a slang term for artifacts
BoD - an abbreviation for Bulk Order Deeds
CBD - an abbreviation for Clothing Bless Deeds
Ethy - an abbreviation for an Ethereal Mount
Eval - an abbreviation for the skill Evaluating Intelligence
Fel - an abbreviation for the Felucca facet
HotM - an abbreviation for the Hat of the Magi artifact
K - Denotes 1000's of gold. 400k = 400,000 gold pieces
Mil or M - an abbreviation for millions (in gold)
Martie - a slang term for minor artifact
Medi - an abbreviation for the skill Meditation
Orny - an abbreviation for the Ornament of the Magician artifact
PS - an abbreviation for a powerscroll
Reg - an abbreviation for Reagent
S-Bod or SBods - an abbreviation for Smithing Bulk Order Deeds
SPS - an abbreviation for a stat powerscroll
T-Bod or TBods - an abbreviation for Tailoring Bulk Order Deeds
Tok - an abbreviation for Tokuno
Tram - an abbreviation for the Trammel facet
Vet - veteran, usually in regards to veteran rewards
WTB - an abbreviation for "Want to Buy"
WTS - an abbreviation for "Want to Sell"
XFER - an abbreviation for Transfer
X-Shard - a slang term for cross-sharding

Stratics VeteranAlumni

Always use different passwords for forums, paypal, ebay, uo and email.

Never use passwords that have anything to do with you or your life, such as the names of family members, pets, birth dates 'etc.

Never give your passwords out. Even if you trust someone 110%, your password is only protected as much as their computer is. Even if they are completely trustworthy, it doesn't mean that their computer is secure and you can get hacked that way too.

Make passwords alphanumeric and upper/lowercase. Do not use common words. The best passwords are 16 characters long, can not be found in a dictionary, and contain lowercase and uppercase letters and at least one number.

Never store your password information on your computer. If you are worried about forgetting it, store it on a piece of paper and keep it in a very secure place. Never put your account information near your computer or in plain sight such as on the wall, on the desk etc - especially if you use a webcam.

Never download any third-party programs or accept files unless you absolutely, 100% trust the source, especially for UO. This is just asking for someone to hack your UO account or worse. If someone sends you a link, again don't click it unless you trust the source as it can contain harmful items or drive-by downloads.

If you or any other users of your computer regularly surf the internet or download shareware software, chances are you are going to get your fair share of what is called spyware. Spyware is a general term applied to software applications that essentially gather information about your actions and report them back to the company. It is not only an invasion of your privacy, but the running applications can increase lag on your computer and as such, it may effect how smoothly UO runs for you.

Make sure the programs you install don't contain adware. Many freeware programs do include adware. It's how the publishers make their money. If you're not sure, read the license agreement carefully (these are usually shown directly or through links as part of the installation process). Also, check the publisher's Web site very carefully. If you're still not sure, search Google Groups for the name of the program and the keywords adware or spyware. If you don't find any postings about it, then you're probably OK.

Install a pop-up blocker to prevent adware and spyware pop-up windows. Much spyware installs after you click a deceptive link in a pop-up browser window. Install a pop-up blocker, and you won't even be tempted to click those links. My two favorite pop-up blockers are completely free. The first is the new MSN Toolbar. The second is the Google Toolbar. Pop-up windows are annoying time wasters anyway, so you'll thank yourself later.

Install and Maintain a Firewall.

A firewall helps protect your computer by preventing unauthorized communication to and from your computer while you are connected to the internet. "Port-scanning" is very common and most don't realise that they are even being scanned for weakness or openings in your defense.

If you are using Windows XP, there is sometimes a very basic firewall included - but it's not enabled by default. I would strongly recommend a second one as well for added security since Win doesn't check outgoing traffic from your PC.

Never ever except files from anyone. Offer Several sites to upload pics. "Print Screen" button, open up paint in win, "Ctrl-V" keys to paste the image.

Do not ignore Operating Systems updates.

Everyday unsavory people are looking for loopholes and get access to your computer. The operating system is a critical part of your computer and is the base of operations for the software on your computer. Do not wait for media reports on updates, often times these are delayed. It's wise to check weekly, preferably daily, for updates on the operating system's website for critical security updates.

Some viruses can infect your system without you clicking on attachments by executing in the message preview window. Many viruses can cause your sensitive information and documents to be transmitted to millions of people. While the preview window is a handy feature, it's safest to turn it off.

To turn off the preview window in Outlook Express:

-Select "View" on the Menu Bar

- Select "Layout"

- Uncheck "Show Preview Pane"

To turn off the preview window in Outlook:

- Select "View" on the Menu Bar

- Select "Preview Pane" if it's not already greyed out

- You may need to repeat this for each top level mail folder

It is always a good idea to have several emails and preferably a special one you use just for your UO accounts. Remember someone having your email address is the first step they need to getting access to it. If they don't know the email address, they can't attempt to crack your password.

Check your email regularly. Some free email services will, without warning, close your email account if it goes inactive for a long period of time. Guess what happens after it is closed. That's right, the name can go back into the choice pool for someone else to choose when they register.

Always use all false info when registering a free email such as name, birth date, etc. Any secret questions used for password retrieval.. never put real-life info in them. All it takes is someone getting to know you and asking you where you were born in small talk to get a shot at your secret answer. Make sure your answers are complicated, several words long and nothing to do with the real answer. Find a safe place not on your computer to save this info if you ever need it.

First and foremost. If someone offers you a trade, gold or $ that is too good to be true.. most likely it is. Scammers will often prey on the greed of their victims in hopes of lulling them into a incautious state with the desire to make such a good deal.

Always Check the Window Contents = No matter how many times the trade window is opened and closed. Do it every single time. Don't feel rushed. If the other party is trying to get you to hurry when you are checking it, don't. Often times scammers will try to pressure you to just click and seal the transaction.

Always ask them to open backpacks to make sure the right items are inside. When possible ask them to take items out of the bag.

Always check items by clicking them and paying attention to the title. There are many rares and such in the came that look similar to common items. Even if you checked it the first time, if the window is closed and you have to reopen it.. check it #2 as well.

Double check the 0's. This can be tricky as they tend the 0's can blend together, especially if you have a lot to look through. If it is a deal for multiple items, try to break the deal down into smaller transactions if you have a hard time with the 0's. With commas now in place, this should be something to worry less about. However, it is always best to double check, for the eyes can play tricks!

Never remove any clothing, wearables, weapons, spellbooks, etc after a trade until you check your item count. Usually you can do this by single clicking on your backpack and seeing how many items you are carrying. The items in your paperdoll, often do *not* apply to your item count. So if you have 125 items in your bag and you take something off, guess what.. it can fall to the ground. It is a common tactic of scammers to attempt this by offering you something to 'try on', asking if they can see something in the trade window from your paperdoll, or asking you to put something on your character so they can see it and thus removing something else to do so. These are usually attempted after a trade, asking you to hold something for them, etc... so please be careful.

Spoofed Emails and Websites
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Spoofing, also known as phishing (pronounced "fishing"), is a type of deception that attempts to steal your valuable information such as account passwords, credit card numbers, etc. Most commonly this is done via email that attempts to get you to visit a website that resembles the official one. Spoofed emails will play on your insecurities, fears and greed. They will often use certain key phrases or information to coax you into visiting their website. Here are some ways to help identify spoofed emails and keep your information secure.

If they ask you to verify your account.

Businesses should never ask for your account password via email - this includes UO, Stratics and practically any internet business. If anyone ever asks you to send your account info or visit their website and log in to your account. DO NOT USE THE LINK. Open a new browser and hand-type the url in or call them directly to inquire to the status of your account.

Ultima Online Payment and Billing

Inside the United States dial: 1-866-543-5435

Outside the United States dial: 1-650-628-4306

Hours of operation are Monday – Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm PST

Note: The numbers above are for payment, billing, and general account updates only. All other questions should be addressed on the EA Customer Support Website​

Some identification tips on spoofed websites.

You should never follow an emailed link!

For education purposes though... Do not rely on the url in the browser window, that can be faked. Often times, there will not be a small lock indicating the screen is a secure website. Also if you click the properties of the graphics, many times they will not be uploaded on the real domain's servers and thus providing another clue.

Definitions of Useful Terms
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Adware - software that displays advertisements on your computer. These are ads that inexplicably pop up on your display screen, even if you're not browsing the Internet. Some companies provide "free" software in exchange for advertising on your display. It's how they make their money.

Cookie - A small data file that is stored on a user's local computer for record-keeping purposes and which contains information about the user that is pertinent to a Web site, such as user preferences.

Denial-of-Service (DoS) - An attempt by a malicious (or unwitting) user, process, or system to prevent legitimate users from accessing a resource (usually a network service) by exploiting a weakness or design limitation in an information system. Examples of DoS attacks include flooding network connections, filling disk storage, disabling ports, or removing power.

Spyware - software that sends your personal information to a third party without your permission or knowledge. This can include information about Web sites you visit or something more sensitive like your user name and password. Unscrupulous companies often use this data to send you unsolicited targeted advertisements.

Virus - Code written with the express intention of replicating itself. A virus attempts to spread from computer to computer by attaching itself to a host program. It may damage hardware, software, or data.

Worm - Self-propagating malicious code that can automatically distribute itself from one computer to another through network connections. A worm can take harmful action, such as consuming network or local system resources, possibly causing a denial of service attack.

Stratics VeteranAlumni

Since the latest mass banning by Mythic Entertainment against Dupers, there has been a lot of replies to Trade Threads that are accusations that a Trader may be a Duper just because their wares are items most likely to be Dupes.

We have a "List of duped items" posted in the UO Rares Collector forum that is updated by our Moderator there, Tomas-Bryce. This list should suffice as enough warnings about Duped Items.

The Moderators of the Trade Forums will advise players within specific Trade Threads about Duped Items if they feel it is absolutely necessary. I understand the Communities need to try and self-police such things however, I must ask that this no longer be done. It might be okay to give an opinion on whether one thinks items are Dupes however, it is another thing to target that Opinion upon the Trader of those items. Because this is a fine line, we must ask that such not be posted or posted with great civility, respect, and caution.

Instead, please use the Post Report () icon on the bottom-left of the post in question to report such things to your forum's Moderators. Then allow them to decide if such a notice should be posted to that particular thread.

Targeted accusations against a Trader for being a Duper, Scammer, Hacker, Exploiter, Cheater, etc. will not be tolerated. Such replies will be removed and warned upon as necessary.

Why does Stratics not allow people to post those Cheating Players?

The reasoning is very simple. In today's technological age, just about any screen shot, chat log, etc. can be faked quite easily. We are not a Court of Law. To accuse someone of cheating is an allegation that can only be proven in a Court of Law.

If we were to allow such allegations, we would be opening the door to allow unscrupulous people to falsely accuse good players. It is our wish to protect innocent players from getting their reputations tarnished by such accusations. In Ultima Online, player names are not unique. So if I were to say, "Orvago is a duper!" I may be unintentionally ruining the reputation of another player with the same name. So, because of this we must disallow ALL accusations, whether you know them to be true or not.

Stratics VeteranAlumni

Why do some trader's threads have the same post, posted more than once right after one-another?

Usually, this is a result of the poster's threads that were posted on multiple forums being merged together into the forum in which the trade belongs.

Usually this will be UO Trader's Hall, as the UO Trader's Hall forum is the place to conduct trades that consist of more than one Shard. Cross-posting the same trade on multiple forums is considered a minor form of spam and is not allowed.

Why don't you just remove those extra posts?

Normally, a user won't do this again after seeing what we do with their posts, clumping them all together. As well, this allows traders who may have already read those threads, go back and find them if they need to. However, the pointers we leave behind will only be around for a day or two, usually.

If we find a user continuously cross-posting trades after they have already had some merged, we will issue them a Warning about it and then take the issue from there.

Stratics is the oldest continually running MMORPG Fansite on the Internet. Founded in 1997 Stratics has served the Ultima Online Community for 18 years. We strive to provide the most complete social experience for Ultima Online players.